It was a rarity, and it took some doing to get the words out, but after a few moments, he did. "Thank you..."

For trusting him, maybe. Or for giving him this echoing feeling that filled in some of the empty gaps that had been there since he woke up after his father shot him. He'd never wanted to be this, alone. It was only, ever for Katherine, and more than once he had come close to ending it, just because...eternity was too long to be alone.

And forgiving Stefan hadn't come easy.